With the crazy life of a college student it is expected that you are not always going to be on your best game. Homework assignments are going to slip your mind, class is going to become a nap session due to last night’s all-nighter, and 3 square meals a day are just not going to happen every day in reality. You are going to find yourself eating Pop-Tarts for dinner because you have no other food options and no money to grocery shop. Most college students will at some time find themselves out of some common staple item or another. You never thought twice about these things when living at home! Since Mom and Dad aren’t there to keep the toilet paper stocked, here are the some emergency substitutes every college girl should know:
1. When you run out of shaving cream…
This most likely will happen while in the midst of lathering up in the shower before rushing to class. So what do you do when you live in Tucson, Arizona and it’s a 105° outside and you can’t afford to have prickly legs showing off on behalf of that hottie always sitting one seat over in Psych 101? Reach over for that conditioner! Many models and actresses use conditioner as a regular for shaving. Due to its creamy texture and moisturizing benefits skin is left smooth and stubble free!
2. “Well, what if my conditioner is out?”
This is an annoying moment that most of us have experienced at some point in our life; if you haven’t you most likely will while in college. Many home remedies make for a great conditioner substitute. A more common homemade conditioner includes egg yolk and olive oil. Mixed together and used lightly, this combination will leave your hair shiny and touchable soft. Check out http://www.natural-homeremedies.org/homemaderecpies/homemade-conditioners.htm for 9 other super easy homemade conditioners that won’t cost a thing! Another back-up plan for when the conditioner disappears is to skip washing your hair all together. Flour or baby powders are great items to use for getting rid of any greasy build up you might have. Just sprinkle some into the roots of your hair where greasy and massage into the scalp to cover up the grossness and leave you looking freshly washed!
3. For all you contact users out there:
Whether you are unexpectedly staying the night at a “friend’s” house or are getting ready to go out and just don’t want to wear your glasses there are options for when your contact solution runs dry. Head to the kitchen and boil some water for 5-7 minutes. Let the water cool completely before soaking your contacts. Boiling the water purifies it and gets rid of any bacteria. Don’t make a habit out of this but it is a good emergency back up when you’re in a bind!
4. Toilet plugged but no plunger?
This happens more than you think especially with new apartment/home renters. If you’re in need of a porcelain fix you have 2 options. For lighter, less serious clogs get a hanger from your closet and wrap 2 plastic grocery bags around it to keep it from getting infected with whatever you’re unclogging. Use the hanger to loosen up TP and unclog the toilet. For more intense and dramatic clogs (most likely caused by a boy) squirt some dish soap into the toilet and let it settle to the bottom. It acts as a lubricant and will break up the dirty mess for easier flushing. Then boil some water and pour into the toilet while flushing. Evidence gone!
5. When you have no laundry detergent…
If you are in desperate need of something necessary then hand-wash the item(s) in the sink with any kind of hand or dish soap. Make sure to rinse thoroughly to avoid any leftover suds residue. Hang dry or lay flat if you have no access to a dryer. If you are in rush and need a clean pair of jeans but they smell of dirty laundry then throw them in the dryer along with a fabric softener sheet for a few minutes to freshen them up. A squirt or two of perfume before you put them on; this will keep them smelling clean all day!
6. No toothpaste?
Baking soda is a great substitute for when you just can’t squeeze any more Colgate out of that tube! Mix some baking soda with a tad bit of water to create a soft paste and brush those pearly whites clean!
7. Towel-less?
If you’re stepping out of the shower and realize you have no clean towels or are washing all those dirty dishes and realize you have no kitchen or paper towels then rest assured there is a reasonable substitute! We all have those old cotton T-shirts that are kept for memories sake more than actual fashionable wear. Cotton shirts are great water absorbents!
8. Baking soda is the perfect back-up shampoo!
Baking soda is a perfect alternative to shampoo! Just mix 1-3 tablespoons of baking soda (depending on how thick and long your hair is) and mix it with water till a thin paste is created. Massage into your scalp gently just as you would any other shampoo and rinse! The baking soda naturally gets rid of all product build up, dirt, and grease. Use this sparingly to prevent drying out your hair’s natural oils. If you have apple cider vinegar handy, run it through your hair after rinsing out the baking soda to help lock in moisture.
9. Out of TP again!
This may seem like a no-brainer to some but many have experienced increased amount of stress when sitting in the bathroom and then realizing their roommate used the last square of the last roll of toilet paper and didn’t bother to say a word! If you live in the dorms you luckily have these types of issues taken care of for you. If you are on your own… not so much. Result to using a box of Kleenex until you can make a run to Wal-Mart. Hopefully you noticed this before you did your business…but if not, then hope to gosh no one is home and jolt for it!
Whether you are a freshman living in the dorms or a senior in the comfort of your very own home, keep these in mind for that unexpected moment of forgetfulness. You may find you have more necessities than you realize! It just takes a little creativity!